Many power systems include a gas turbine engine and a power load, such as a pump, compressor, or electric generator, drivingly connected to the gas turbine engine. Various configurations of support systems are employed to support the gas turbine engine and the power load of such power systems. In some such power systems, the gas turbine engine and the power load are both attached through fixed mounts to a common, stationary support structure.
Unfortunately, such a support structure may make replacing or repairing the gas turbine engine difficult. Removing the gas turbine engine from the stationary support structure may involve unfastening the gas turbine engine from numerous fixed mounts, which may require considerable time and effort. Additionally, after the gas turbine engine is unfastened from the support structure, removing the gas turbine engine from the support structure may require using lifting equipment and exercising considerable care to avoid colliding the gas turbine engine with other objects.
Additionally, many repair operations may involve separating sections (e.g., intake ducting, compressor, combustor, power turbine, exhaust collector) of the gas turbine engine from one another, which may require removing the gas turbine engine from the support structure. For example, replacing a damaged section of the gas turbine engine may require removing the gas turbine engine from the support structure, separating the damaged section from the other sections, installing a replacement section, and reassembling the sections of the gas turbine engine. When the gas turbine engine is off of its support structure, supporting and maneuvering the heavy, unwieldy sections of the gas turbine engine when separating and reassembling them may be quite difficult. Further, separating and removing internal sections (e.g, a compressor), that are positioned between two other adjacent sections (e.g., the intake ducting and combustor) of the gas turbine engine, without completely separating and removing at least one of the two adjacent sections, may also be difficult.
A system and method of installing a modular gas turbine engine is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,044,442 issued to Carlson ('442 patent). The '442 patent discloses a large capacity gas-turbine unit including a gas generator unit, a power turbine unit, and a generator. The gas generator unit, power turbine unit, and generator are aligned sequentially along a drive axis. The '442 patent discloses horizontally moving the gas generator unit in a direction substantially parallel to the drive axis to engage the already installed power turbine unit. The gas generator unit is moved horizontally on roller devices and a portion of the weight of the gas generator unit is supported by an overhead traveling crane.
The system and method of the '442 patent may allow for horizontal installation of a section of a gas turbine engine, but fails to permit horizontal movement in a direction substantially parallel to the drive axis of the GTE between two stationary sections of the GTE. The system of the '442 patent is inefficient because sections of the GTE are installed sequentially in a direction along the drive axis, whereas it may be desired to install or remove an interior section of the GTE while adjacent sections on each side the interior section remain installed. Additionally, the system of the '442 may be expensive, for example, due to the cost of labor intensive and time consuming process required to install GTE sections sequentially.